[VHFcontesting] More insights - Log Submittals

[Hoffman, Mark]

Wasn't the original focus, of this entire thread - the assertion that
participation is dropping, based on reduced numbers of logs submitted? If
participation = logs submitted, then we're dropping. If participation is NOT
equal to logs (as it's starting to look like) then IS there really a
problem? And does that warrant "fixing" a contest?

The true means that the ARRL could provide (since they should hold all the
log data from Jan 2002 onward in electronic format) as part of the
electronic contest summary is the NUMBER OF QSOs represented, and the NUMBER
OF UNIQUE CALLS represented in that body of data. It's done for other
contests, probably for tracking of just this purpose. 

If it's been done, I've not seen it. Writeups provide numbers of logs. Those
numbers are obviously falling by the wayside. Wayne (N7NG) or Dan (N1ND) -
if you are reading this - could it be done? I'd like to see numbers like
this. It'd easily represent whether we're losing people that just aren't
playing vs. those playing and not submitting. 

With that information, we can make a real determination whether LOGS are
dropping (indicating a problem with process, etc?) or PARTICIPATION is
dropping (other discussions needed?).

-Mark, K2AXX
ABCD9EFGHIJL
FN12cs



> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ev Tupis (W2EV) [mailto:w2ev at arrl.net]
> Sent: Wednesday, April 16, 2003 6:58 AM
> To: VHFContesting eMail Remailer
> Subject: [VHFcontesting] More insights - Log Submittals
> 
> 
> I suggest that people submit logs because:
> o It is easy to do
> o There is a reward for doing so
> 
> If someone doesn't submit a log, it's because one (or both) 
> of those is not true
> in their case.  I've been receiving a LOT of private email on 
> this topic.  Much
> of it is summarized by this snippett below (part of one that 
> I just received):
> 
> "I am probably stepping into a trap ;-) but if you tell me 
> why I should send in
> my logs for a casual effort, maybe I will, right now I just 
> dont see any reason
> too, particularly for ARRL contests."
> 
> This is t-y-p-i-c-a-l of what I'm getting (in private emails) 
> from folks that
> don't submit logs regularly.
> 
> **Don't** confuse this issue with the belief that there is declining
> participation, as that is not addressed here.
> 
> If nothing else, this further goes to show that the ARRL 
> doesn't yet have the
> data
> on which to properly analyze the situation.
> 
> Ev Tupis, W2EV
> 
> PS-- Here's an interesting twist of things... several 
> commenters are citing the
> lack of QST publishing as an aside, and NOT a primary reason for not
> submitting!  It is almost always something like, "The contest 
> robot puked on my
> log, so I gave up and -- by the way, I hate not seeing my 
> call in QST".  Had the
> robot not puked, the log would have still gone in even without QST
> publication.   Hmmmmmmm.... :)
> 
> PPS-- If I haven't made the point that the wrong audience is 
> being targeted for
> their opinions on the topics of "incresing participation" and 
> "increased log
> submittal" (and the fact that the two are not related, btw) 
> then I never will. 
> I'm now QRT on the topic.       [I heard that sigh of relief, 
> Gene! :)]
> 
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